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Glite Dictionary
en garde

en garde

6 9.4
A position in fencing where you are ready to attack or defend yourself
  • idiom
  • /ɑ̃ ɡɑrd/
  • Jargon
translation icon : en guardia
  • Before starting the match, the coach shouted, "En garde!" to signal the fencers to get ready.
  • En garde! continue

Examples

Synonyms

guard
vsen garde
17 2.5

A body position used to protect yourself in sports like boxing

is a specific warning to assume that stance when ready to fence

Antonyms

unprepared
69 2.8

Not ready for something because the things you need or a plan are missing

off guard
51 4.2

Not ready or paying attention when something happens

How Ready

alert
137 3.5
en garde
  • Jargon
6 9.4
ready
1 2.3
off guard
51 4.2

Surface Forms

en garde positive

Morphology

en + garde

This is a conventional French fencing command borrowed into English; the constituent forms 'en' and 'garde' are not English lexemes here, so a B1 learner who only knows English words would not be able to derive the meaning. Even though in French it literally means 'in/on guard', the phrase functions as a fixed technical command in English and is therefore not transparently compositional for typical English learners.

Etymology

The phrase en garde comes from French fencing and literally uses en (in) and garde (guard). Referees shouted it to tell fencers to stand with their swords and be ready, so en garde now means 'ready to defend'.